The present disclosure relates generally to latching systems, including for panels that may be moved to cover or reveal an opening, for example, to a wall, room, or other area inside or outside of a building.
The standard residential door, which often consists of a wood flush door mounted by three hinges along one side connected to a hinge frame where the door is arranged to swing through an arc, may be the most common type of door, but many additional varieties of moveable barriers have been developed to cover or reveal one or more openings. For example, sliding doors, lift-slide doors, double doors, Dutch doors, French or casement doors, side-light doors, louver doors, bi-fold doors, screen doors, wicket doors, pocket doors, temporary walls and other partitions (and certain combinations of the foregoing) may also be used to provide ingress to and egress from a room or area, and various types of windows may also be used to close or reveal an opening. With such a variety of applications, it is desirable to provide a variety of appropriate latching systems.
For example, lift-slide doors and lift-slide windows have particular design characteristics and popular applications. Lift-slide doors and windows generally include a casement, sash or frame that defines a body of the door or window. From a closed or lowered position, this body generally can be raised relative to its surroundings and then moved side-to-side in a sliding motion. Lift-slide doors can be built to the size of entire walls which makes them popular for applications where a wall may be opened up to the outdoors to provide for “indoor-outdoor living”, such as for sun-rooms, areas with swimming pools, and rooms with a view. Because lift-slide doors may be designed to be stacked flush next to side jambs or in wall pockets when they are opened, latching systems that permanently protrude from such doors may not be desirable. Latching systems that have removeable parts, which require disassembly and storage, may also not be desirable. Given the characteristics and applications of such doors and windows, it is desirable to provide appropriate latching systems.